NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 21, 2011.

Pucks also play role in concussions…Ducks fall was a season in the making….Jagr and Voracek honor late Czech president…The decline of the big slapshot…Mathieu Garon gains more playing time.

NBCSPORTS PRO HOCKEY TALK: Mike Halford on the role pucks play in hockey concussion injuries, wondering if a better puck could be used to reduce such injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given today’s technology, it must be possible to create a puck which would be less dangerous to players without compromising the game. The question is whether or not the NHL would be interested in such a puck.

OCREGISTER.COM: The Anaheim Ducks downfall this season was a year in the making, suggesting last season’s team played over its head, leading to management making few changes in the off-season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The changes have already begun with the firing of Randy Carlyle as head coach in favor of Bruce Boudreau. Roster changes could start by February if the Ducks are out of the playoff race, meaning the Bobby Ryan trade rumors flash up again.

Jagr and Voracek honor Vaclav Haval.

PHILLY.COM: Flyers forwards Jaromir Jagr and Jakub Voracek have the initials “VH” on the back of their helmets to honor late Czech president Vaclav Haval, who recently passed away at the age of 75. Jagr was a close friend of Havel’s.

TAMPABAY.COM: Mathieu Garon is riding his current hot streak in to the lead role between the pipes for the Lightning.

9 Comments

Aj
on December 21, 2011 at 12:37 pm

The era of the big slapshot are only over because the game has opened up and become significantly faster and younger. The big slapshot still has it’s place in the game, but has gone back to the niche it should always have been. Interesting pickup by the Post on a small snippet of the evolution of the game between the 90’s/2000’sn and today.

Murph
on December 21, 2011 at 2:18 pm

True enough AJ.

Add to that teams now play a tighter forecheck and gap control game that does not allow for the traditioonal windup we get to see in an All Star Game Skills Competition.

motocitysmitty
on December 21, 2011 at 3:41 pm

this has very little to do with anything .but do you think that a team will start making the pk guys all use wooden sticks?

motocitysmitty
on December 21, 2011 at 3:45 pm

About the slapshot, the new sticks make the big wind up less crucial. I would make em use wood for the pk.

motocitysmitty
on December 21, 2011 at 3:46 pm

Oh yeah the replacement for the puck ……………… a orange ball

tuxedoTshirt
on December 21, 2011 at 4:48 pm

Pretty shxtty stuff today guys.

Murph
on December 21, 2011 at 5:31 pm

@motocity..Unless someone comes out with a wood stick with a $500.00 price tag, they will keep using composites.

Yes Tux, this whole slapshot topic means the so called sports writers are desperate for material.

tuxedoTshirt
on December 21, 2011 at 8:23 pm

I meant the foam puck and forced stick use (?) (are you fvcking kidding me?)

Grizzledbear
on December 22, 2011 at 6:35 am

Guess no one told Shea Weber that the slap shot went the way of the dodo bird, LOL!

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